British-led Card Room raided by officials in South Pattaya

[bark]

This actually made the national TV news, even had the police video. A bunch of confused old folks playing Bridge.

Unclear what crime was committed, anyone know?

The offense relates to Section 8 of the Playing Cards Act of 1935 which states that an individual is not allowed to possess more than 120 playing cards at any one time. At the Bridge event, considerably more than 120 playing cards were found by officers.

One pack per four people at a table ! 32 people = 64 packages, if 2 per person is allowed.

I wonder what would have happened if they were all playing bridge on an Ipad ?

Joke of the world. BIB

[JayBangkok]

Let this be a lesson to all you ping pong players, you could be next!

How many balls can ping pong players have?

[Kasset Tak]

This actually made the national TV news, even had the police video. A bunch of confused old folks playing Bridge.

Unclear what crime was committed, anyone know?

" The offense relates to Section 8 of the Playing Cards Act of 1935 which states that an individual is not allowed to possess more than 120 playing cards at any one time. At the Bridge event, considerably more than 120 playing cards were found by officers."

If you would have bother to read the full story on Pattaya One...

[Gillyflower]

What I don't understand is......the Bridge Club has evidently been playing there for ages. Why all of a sudden are the police 'tipped' off?

Second thing, an individual is only allowed to have 120 cards, i.e. 2 packs. How many packs do Bridge players have to have?

I did miss the pointing at all these wrong doers.

[canopus1969]

We should all turn up for their court case

[webfact]

British-led Card Room raided by officials in South Pattaya – UPDATE



UPDATE – 4 February 2016 – 10.00am

PATTAYA : -- One of the card players contacted Pattaya One to update the story.

He revealed that ALL of the card players were arrested and eventually released from Pattaya Police Station at 03.00am after almost 12 hours in custody and paying 5,000 Baht Bail each. They will all appear in Court later on Thursday, even the 84 year old Dutch lady featured in one of our photographs from the scene.

The Bridge club was formed in 1994 and has never encountered a problem such as this. The players are believed to have been charged with gambling offenses, even though they claim no evidence of gambling was present. In addition because the playing cards did not possess an official government seal on the card boxes, this was another offense the officials added to the report of the raid.

UPDATE – 4 February – 12.00pm

Pattaya One was contacted once again by a member of the Bridge Club...

Full story: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221251/british-led-card-room-raided-officials-south-pattaya/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyONSc0pARU

-- Pattaya One 2016-02-04

[cooked]

Sorry to spoil your fun but my wife called me to the TV this morning to watch this news item. A LOT of money was found on the premises which is why there were 50 friends and helpers investigating.

Its a restaurant, they sell food and drink. Most of any money would be theirs.

The rented space would contain no money related to the bridge players since its duplicate bridge, played by almost every country in the world, where there is no gambling involved.

There might have been a small amount that is collected before the game from each player to pay expenses.

I imagine (and hope) that you are correct. The fact remains that there must be a compelling reason for over 50 police to have turned up.

[Branches]

50 old people who lead a peaceful life and spend lots of money..... None were wearing a vest and had tattoos I bet !!

[springheeled jack]

i do wish the police would get it right bridge has been played here as long as i can remember it is not a gambling game it is a points game no money changes hands .

[poohy]

They want for Thailand essentially a Chinese/Iranian expat population, this will be more closely aligned with the foreign affairs and politics that we now see taking shape in this country.

At least you can play cards in Iran (although not gamble) from memory of my time there Hokm Iranian for trump )is one of their favourite card games

[Krataiboy]

One picture worth a thousand words. I am trying to imagine the reaction of the clientele of this den of iniquity when fifty police and army heavies came crashing through the door! Oddly enough, international bridge tournaments are a regular feature at one of the big hotels just down the road from where I live. Presumably, nobody has yet tipped off the local plods.

[kblaze]

All were jailed for 12 hours and made to pay 5000 baht to secure their own release...at 03:00am.

good god.

[tx22cb]

Psst - better keep quiet about the bridge games at the British Club then.

Mum's the word.

[poohy]

They want for Thailand essentially a Chinese/Iranian expat population, this will be more closely aligned with the foreign affairs and politics that we now see taking shape in this country.

Hmm from memory iof my time there you can play cards in Iran (although not gamble, "Hokm" is one of their favorite card games

[Doc46]

This is the Laugh of this Century,,, ,,,Just a few old codgers playing cards,,,,not even for money,just for fun,,They even had to Scour the Law books because they had to find something somewhere wrong, they just Didn't Know what,,Pathetic Imbeciles,,

[raro]

so any news on what happened to them after the raid? Incarceration? Released on bail? Facing the firing squad?

[Bench499d]

This actually made the national TV news, even had the police video. A bunch of confused old folks playing Bridge.

Unclear what crime was committed, anyone know?

The offense relates to Section 8 of the Playing Cards Act of 1935 which states that an individual is not allowed to possess more than 120 playing cards at any one time. At the Bridge event, considerably more than 120 playing cards were found by officers.

I don't see the problem here except for the number of officers involved in the arrest. These people are criminals who broke the law. They knew they were committing a crime but obviously thought as affluent foreigners they were above the law or were too culturally insensitive to care. If you live in a country you should follow its laws and customs regardless of whether you agree with them or not. If you do not want to do that face the consequences or go somewhere else. I bet many of these would be the first to whine about foreigners in their on country flaunting the laws and refusing to conform to cultural norms.

I presume you were already aware of this 1935 law then? I find it unlikely that anyone thought they were breaking any laws.

The question here is to wonder who annoyed someone enough to then persuade 50 policemen to "scour the lawbooks" and then raid the place!

[smotherb]

Isn't it obvious, the bridge game is a ruse; this was a blatant gambling and prostitution ring run by the 74 year old and the six women were the prize.

[Psychic]

They want for Thailand essentially a Chinese/Iranian expat population, this will be more closely aligned with the foreign affairs and politics that we now see taking shape in this country.

Hmm from memory iof my time there you can play cards in Iran (although not gamble, "Hokm" is one of their favorite card games

And China has one of the fastest growing duplicate bridge communities in the world.

[Gillyflower]

They had to spend 12 hours in custody and pay 5000 baht bail. They are to appear in court today. Shameful. I hope the judge throws the case out.

[rws85]

How come they are still playing cards in the photos? One cop is standing there smiling watching them play..

What a joke.

[ginge]

This actually made the national TV news, even had the police video. A bunch of confused old folks playing Bridge.

Unclear what crime was committed, anyone know?

The offense relates to Section 8 of the Playing Cards Act of 1935 which states that an individual is not allowed to possess more than 120 playing cards at any one time. At the Bridge event, considerably more than 120 playing cards were found by officers.

I don't see the problem here except for the number of officers involved in the arrest. These people are criminals who broke the law. They knew they were committing a crime but obviously thought as affluent foreigners they were above the law or were too culturally insensitive to care. If you live in a country you should follow its laws and customs regardless of whether you agree with them or not. If you do not want to do that face the consequences or go somewhere else. I bet many of these would be the first to whine about foreigners in their on country flaunting the laws and refusing to conform to cultural norms.

Betting is illegal in LOS so your in violation Futsukayoi, you better watch out someone doesn't inform on you.

Edited February 4, 2016 by ginge

[csabo]

Sorry guys, no matter where you go, laws are laws. Stupid or not, I don't chew gum in Singapore either.

[smotherb]

This actually made the national TV news, even had the police video. A bunch of confused old folks playing Bridge.

Unclear what crime was committed, anyone know?

The offense relates to Section 8 of the Playing Cards Act of 1935 which states that an individual is not allowed to possess more than 120 playing cards at any one time. At the Bridge event, considerably more than 120 playing cards were found by officers.

Sure, the coppers had to find something wrong or they would lose face. Er, no, scratch that.

This highly trained, well-equipped, and substantially funded crime detachment was specifically formed to fight the dastardly crime of being in possession of copious amounts of playing cards.

[onemorechang]

Isn't it obvious, the bridge game is a ruse; this was a blatant gambling and prostitution ring run by the 74 year old and the six women were the prize.

You could be right.

Think the club may have been called

The Gum & Get it if your Lucky Club

Hope the judge throws this non seance out the court

and they all get there bail money back.

What a waste of time and resources.

Edited February 4, 2016 by onemorechang

[hugh2121]

This actually made the national TV news, even had the police video. A bunch of confused old folks playing Bridge.

Unclear what crime was committed, anyone know?

Maybe an illegal gathering of more than the stipulated number of people?????

[JHolmesJr]

Bingo Players, you're next!

[brewsterbudgen]

i do wish the police would get it right bridge has been played here as long as i can remember it is not a gambling game it is a points game no money changes hands .

My old mum used to pay for points. 1 pence a point, I believe.

[WitawatWatawit]

Sorry to spoil your fun but my wife called me to the TV this morning to watch this news item. A LOT of money was found on the premises which is why there were 50 friends and helpers investigating.

Its a restaurant, they sell food and drink. Most of any money would be theirs.

The rented space would contain no money related to the bridge players since its duplicate bridge, played by almost every country in the world, where there is no gambling involved.

There might have been a small amount that is collected before the game from each player to pay expenses.

I imagine (and hope) that you are correct. The fact remains that there must be a compelling reason for over 50 police to have turned up.

... there must be a compelling reason for over 50 police to have turned up.

Mate, sorry, but this is naive. It is plainly obvious that this was done at the behest of a thick plodder, possibly trying to prove a point, possibly trying to arrange photo ops to impress higher-ups (the backlog of cases fiasco, perhaps?). Just imagine how thick you would have to be to even think about carrying out something like this without considering the consequences - imagine it, and there you have your average Thai copper. They used 50 cops to raid the place - and 100 cops to raid a small nightclub in Bkk under the glare of the media (photo ops again) - but only 10 to bust a major drug cartel, in which the principals escaped (yet again!). No, no compelling reason, just rank stupidity yet again. Sorry. Not trying to have a go at you - just utterly fed up with the cops here to the point where nonsense incidents like this and the political situation are pushing me to the edge and making me want to sell up and go home after 26 years.

[cyberfarang]

This actually made the national TV news, even had the police video. A bunch of confused old folks playing Bridge.

Unclear what crime was committed, anyone know?

The offense relates to Section 8 of the Playing Cards Act of 1935 which states that an individual is not allowed to possess more than 120 playing cards at any one time. At the Bridge event, considerably more than 120 playing cards were found by officers.

I don't see the problem here except for the number of officers involved in the arrest. These people are criminals who broke the law. They knew they were committing a crime but obviously thought as affluent foreigners they were above the law or were too culturally insensitive to care. If you live in a country you should follow its laws and customs regardless of whether you agree with them or not. If you do not want to do that face the consequences or go somewhere else. I bet many of these would be the first to whine about foreigners in their on country flaunting the laws and refusing to conform to cultural norms.

That`s right, they find it hard to swallow the bittersweet pills.

They think what they are doing in only trivial and that the Thai police are too stupid to take any notice. In England being arrested for playing a friendly game of cards would seem ridiculous but in Thailand they take serious issue with these activities. if the going gets tough the tough should clear off if they don`t like it.

I do expect some likes for this post, otherwise my feelings are going to be hurt.